Members wheresgrant3 Posted November 13, 2004 Members Share Posted November 13, 2004 Ok... I have stayed off this board for this entire week, primarily becuase I received my sales bonus and have been overcome with some really bad GAS. I was originally looking to buy a cheap ($200-$300) module for extra sound to gig with and complement my setup. Then Explody Boy and Tucks started negotiations on EB's EX7 I tried one for myself, (used) and realized it's possibly my missing link.... not just live but for writing at home also. My deliemma (spelling???)is that I have found an EX7 loaded (case, tons of samples) and an Ex5 by itself (no case or extras) for $150 more. I know th EX5 has 76 keys (an advantage), and 128 poly (rarely maxed to 128 but it is an advatage over 64). Anything else that makes up for the difference. For the purposes of giging (and since I am carrying around four other synths) I would probably go for the smaller, lighter of the two...the EX7. I don't really need the 76 keys. The 128 poly is nice... but would I ever need it? And other advantages I am missing with the EX5 over the EX7 that I would end up kicking myself if I pass over it? At this point, for me, it's a coin toss... please don't kick me too hard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jazzed Posted November 13, 2004 Members Share Posted November 13, 2004 As far as I know, the EX5's advantages, aside from the 76 notes, are that it has VL synthesis as well as AN & FDSP (which is only what I heard...but don't fully understand...does that refer to layering the two synthesis types?). That's all I know of...but there could possibly be more. But cases are often expensive...and it's "loaded with samples", saving you some effort and potentially a bit of cash (though with ex5tech perhaps not), as well as possibly introducing you to sounds you might not have looked into had you not tried them. By the way, "dilemma" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members noisestudios Posted November 13, 2004 Members Share Posted November 13, 2004 I have the EX5 and I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE it. The only possible downside I could think of is that it's a bit heavy, but speaking relatively to other keyboards of their sizes, the EX7 is no lighter. The EX5 only goes for about $100 more than the 7 in the used market. And I believe Jazzed is right...the EX5 has more features. It also has more controller options, such as an aux pedal and a breath controller that the 7 and rack version lack. Not sure about the lack of FDSP and AN on the EX7, though....as that would be the board's primary selling point. I'm pretty sure those are available on both versions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kirumamoru Posted November 13, 2004 Members Share Posted November 13, 2004 Quoted from a different thread (for the second time): The EX-5 has double the power of the EX-7, both in terms of AWM note generation and effects/synthesis power. With the AWM this is pretty straightforward. EX-5 has 128 notes of poly, EX-7 has 64. With the effects and synthesis issue, it's a little more complicated. The EX-5 has two effects/synthesis DSP units. One of them is divided into Chorus, Reverb, and 1 Insertion effect. The other can be divided into the following combinations: * 3 Insertion effects.* 16 voices of FDSP* 1 voice of VL (virtual acoustic)* 2 voices of AN (analog modelling)* 1 voice of AN and 8 voices of FDSP The EX-5, as you might have figured, has only one unit of DSP, and therefore is much more limited. The unit is divided into Chorus, Reverb, and either one Insert effect, one voice of AN, or eight voices of FDSP. No VL is possible on this unit, and there's no way to use an insert effect at the same time that you're using an analog or FDSP patch. I've never quite understood why they did this. I can't help but think that the EX-7 would have been more successful, even if it were more expensive, if it had the same power as it's longer cousin.... Kiru Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wineandkeyz Posted November 13, 2004 Members Share Posted November 13, 2004 Let's see... I've never played a 76-key unit and thought, "Gee, what am I going to do with all these extra keys? Why did I lug that extra 5 pounds in here?" But I have often played my D-50, DX7, DW-8000, Polysix, etc., hit the upper or lower "C" and thought, "CRAP! I'm out of keys!!!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sealed Posted November 13, 2004 Members Share Posted November 13, 2004 EX5 has VL, and can use AN and FDSP at the same time - what EX7 can't.The polyphony would not matter, as I can't imagine using up EX7's 64-poly on the stage. EX5 has 76 keys with seemingly better quality, and it may be relevant to the live situation. It would be better if you can play both.(According to YAMAHA, EX5 uses the keys of SY99/77, and EX7 uses that of CS2x.) When I saw EX5's "AN+FDSP" algorythm, I mistakenly thought that EX5 can process AN sound with FDSP. In fact it can't - it's just layers the monophonic AN with 8-poly FDSP. I think It can be simulated by multi-recording EX7. So what EX7 doesn't have is essentially VL only. Now I'm beginning to rate EX7 higher than before. (As for myself, I'll wait until some day EX5R's price gets down....) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jazzed Posted November 13, 2004 Members Share Posted November 13, 2004 Originally posted by noisestudios Not sure about the lack of FDSP and AN on the EX7, though....as that would be the board's primary selling point. I'm pretty sure those are available on both versions. That's not what I meant. What I was saying is that the EX5 can layer FDSP and AN together...the EX7 can only play them each individually, in individual patches. That's all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kirumamoru Posted November 13, 2004 Members Share Posted November 13, 2004 I think the key thing to realize here is that, when you're talking about playing live, the EX5 has an insert effect that you can play two analog or 16 FDSP voices through. The EX7 has only one insert effect which takes the same DSP space as the AN or FDSP voices, so you can't use that insert on the modelled sounds. Well, that, and you only get 1 AN or 8 FDSP voices, as opposed to 2 AN or 16 FDSP (or 1 AN plus 8 FDSP). I think that the lack of effects would be probably most crippling. On the EX5, though, you could set up a split with 8 voices of FDSP Rhodes on the right, processed through the chorus block, and an analog bass on the left, processed with the insert effect. On the EX7, you can have eight voices of rhodes, or you can have one voice of AN, no inserts. Kiru Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ExplodingBoy Posted November 13, 2004 Members Share Posted November 13, 2004 Whatever the story is, any EX series synth makes some crazy good noises. Some of my old Ex7 voices were better than some of my Motif voices and also better than Triton voices.... EX are no joke! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members noisestudios Posted November 13, 2004 Members Share Posted November 13, 2004 Originally posted by jazzed That's not what I meant. What I was saying is that the EX5 can layer FDSP and AN together...the EX7 can only play them each individually, in individual patches. That's all. Oh, ok - cool. I never got to choose between the 5 and 7, I just found a 5 on Ebay and won it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrcpro Posted November 13, 2004 Members Share Posted November 13, 2004 Originally posted by Sealed EX5 has 76 keys with seemingly better quality, and it may be relevant to the live situation. It would be better if you can play both.(According to YAMAHA, EX5 uses the keys of SY99/77, and EX7 uses that of CS2x.) Exactly...and not "seemingly"...the keyboard on the EX7 is so crappy that it's almost unplayable. If you're a player don't even consider one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pelleyoo Posted November 13, 2004 Members Share Posted November 13, 2004 haven't tried the keys on the Ex5 but if they're the same as on the Sy77, thats great. You can't play piano pieces with it really...for that you need weighted keys. But, its very nice for comping and organ playing. I guess the Csx2 has the same keys as my S03. And that is...yuck...sucks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wheresgrant3 Posted November 13, 2004 Author Members Share Posted November 13, 2004 Well.... I am not much of a player at all. At home I write ambient and industrial... in the band I back up with brass arrangements some piano organ and lots and lots of atmosphere... Doing lots of reserach on this one boys... thanks for the input. Sad to say... but at 49+ inches wide, 44lbs and and the extra $$$ I may end up with the EX7. It's what I can afford and it fits into my rig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GigMan Posted November 14, 2004 Members Share Posted November 14, 2004 Originally posted by wheresgrant3 Well.... I am not much of a player at all. At home I write ambient and industrial... in the band I back up with brass arrangements some piano organ and lots and lots of atmosphere... Doing lots of reserach on this one boys... thanks for the input. Sad to say... but at 49+ inches wide, 44lbs and and the extra $$$ I may end up with the EX7. It's what I can afford and it fits into my rig. Grant-man - You're kidding, right!? You already drag 4 keyboards around with you to gigs (of which the Yam. EX5/7 would replace 1) in addition to your guitars and amps/speakers and you're going to bitch + moan about a few inches and a few lbs.!? C'mon, man - suck it up already + go for the EX5... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tjwett Posted November 14, 2004 Members Share Posted November 14, 2004 personally i like the EX5 rack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kirumamoru Posted November 14, 2004 Members Share Posted November 14, 2004 Originally posted by tjwett personally i like the EX5 rack. It's a nice rack. I like nice racks. Kiru Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sealed Posted November 14, 2004 Members Share Posted November 14, 2004 Agreed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wheresgrant3 Posted November 14, 2004 Author Members Share Posted November 14, 2004 Originally posted by GigMan Grant-man - You're kidding, right!? You already drag 4 keyboards around with you to gigs (of which the Yam. EX5/7 would replace 1) in addition to your guitars and amps/speakers and you're going to bitch + moan about a few inches and a few lbs.!? C'mon, man - suck it up already + go for the EX5... Haha... I know. But it is a space issue, really. The homemade A Frame I have in my studio/office I can barely accomodate the 76 key controller I have. I used a tape measure and there is no way I can squeeze the EX5 into the space I have available for it. Which means it would sit in my closet until I'd set it up on an extra stand like this: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members midi Posted November 15, 2004 Members Share Posted November 15, 2004 Get the rack, just as powerful w faster MIDI response! http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=41784&item=3761113749&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GigMan Posted November 15, 2004 Members Share Posted November 15, 2004 Originally posted by wheresgrant3 Haha... I know. But it is a space issue, really. The homemade A Frame I have in my studio/office I can barely accomodate the 76 key controller I have. I used a tape measure and there is no way I can squeeze the EX5 into the space I have available for it. Which means it would sit in my closet until I'd set it up on an extra stand like this: Hey Grant - I see that you have a poster of the movie "Swingers" in that pic of your office/studio - cool! That was a great movie - I often use the line from that movie "You're money, baby!!" (which I always guessed that it means, "You're great, you look fabulous, you're like money in the bank...") on a female friend at work - cracks her up every time. If you like John Favreau (who directed and starred in Swingers, right?) - have you ever seen "PCU" ?? Very funny movie - a must-see for anyone who hasn't seen it yet. Favreau plays a sort of wastoid, kind of like the John Belushi character Blutowski from Animal House. In fact, PCU has been described as kind of an Animal House for the 90''s... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wheresgrant3 Posted November 15, 2004 Author Members Share Posted November 15, 2004 Originally posted by GigMan If you like John Favreau (who directed and starred in Swingers, right?) - have you ever seen "PCU" ?? Very funny movie - a must-see for anyone who hasn't seen it yet. Favreau plays a sort of wastoid, kind of like the John Belushi character Blutowski from Animal House. In fact, PCU has been described as kind of an Animal House for the 90''s... These, Tom, are the Causeheads. They find a world-threatening issue and stick with it for about a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GigMan Posted November 15, 2004 Members Share Posted November 15, 2004 Originally posted by wheresgrant3 These, Tom, are the Causeheads. They find a world-threatening issue and stick with it for about a week. Ha ha - so you have seen PCU? Excellent... So Grant, in looking at your studio pics I'm wondering: do you keep an extra set of cables, sustain pedals, pwr. supplies + such for gigging - so that you can just grab the keyboards + go when it's gig time (without a lot of muss + fuss of wrapping up cords and remembering this or that...)?? Did we discuss this topic in a previous thread? I'm having dejavu - all over again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wheresgrant3 Posted November 15, 2004 Author Members Share Posted November 15, 2004 Originally posted by GigMan Ha ha - so you have seen PCU? Excellent... So Grant, in looking at your studio pics I'm wondering: do you keep an extra set of cables, sustain pedals, pwr. supplies + such for gigging - so that you can just grab the keyboards + go when it's gig time (without a lot of muss + fuss of wrapping up cords and remembering this or that...)?? Did we discuss this topic in a previous thread? I'm having dejavu - all over again... Yup! I keep an extra Korg pwr supply and most of my cables in the trailer. I just need a another small mixer and I'll have a complete duplicate set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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